Nigeria: 'It Takes Courage to Remove Fuel Subsidy' - Otti Praises Tinubu, Dismisses Hardship

What the report says

Vanguard, in a report distributed by AllAfrica, says Abia State Governor Alex Otti praised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to end Nigeria’s petrol subsidy and allow the naira to trade more freely, describing both moves as difficult reforms that required political courage. The comments were reported on 22 July 2026 and were made during a visit by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to Abia State.

According to the report, Otti spoke while receiving the First Lady as she visited Ukwa East Local Government Area to celebrate and promote Akwete weaving, a historic textile tradition associated with the area. The governor asked her to relay his appreciation to the President, saying the 2023 policy choices had redirected funds previously used to support consumption toward government priorities across federal, state and local levels.

Otti argued that increased public revenues had helped states meet salary obligations, invest in infrastructure and support production-focused initiatives. He acknowledged that the subsidy removal and currency changes created immediate economic strain, but said such effects were expected after major policy shifts. He framed the hardship many Nigerians are experiencing as linked to earlier economic practices rather than solely to the current reforms.

The remarks matter because Tinubu’s economic reforms remain a central issue in Nigeria’s public debate, with supporters pointing to improved government finances and critics emphasizing higher living costs. Vanguard’s account presents Otti, an opposition Labour Party governor, as publicly backing the broad direction of the federal government’s economic decisions while recognizing their short-term impact.